The UN announces the first ever International Zero Waste Day on March 30th 2023 and It gives me hope that the movement is going mainstream. For me, it always felt like the Zero Waste movement existed on the fringe. You know, a small niche of people or businesses doing their absolute best at reducing their waste to zero.
In the past, it certainly hadn’t felt like Zero Waste had made the jump to the mainstream. Even today, I think a lot of people see it as extreme, exclusive or even elitist. I don’t think it has to be that way. For it to have a greater impact, more people and companies have to join in and simply do better and continue to strive for better. I believe that perfection is super difficult to achieve and a turn off for most. Remember, don’t let perfect get in the way of good.
Anne-Marrie Bonneau the Zero Waste Chef said it best: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”.
Don’t get me wrong though, if you are truly able to achieve Zero Waste as an individual or a company, my hat goes off to you. In the long run, it’s what we should all strive for.
Right now, the more people that join in, the better.
What is Zero Waste?
It has been around fo a few decades. Originally it was thought up to reduce industrial waste, more recently we have seen it become a lifestyle movement with far-reaching impacts on consumption practices and product design.
“Zero Waste is a goal that is ethical, economical, efficient and visionary, to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use” Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA).
If you would like to dig in deeper check out this older post: What in the world is Zero Waste?
I find this snippet straight from the UN helpful too: “A zero-waste approach entails responsible production, consumption and disposal of products in a closed, circular system. This means that resources are reused or recovered as much as possible and that we minimize the pollution to air, land or water”.
The First Ever International Zero Waste Day
March 30th 2023 marks the very first Zero Waste Day, designated by the United Nations.
Why International Zero Waste Day was created?
The international day of zero waste was created by the UN to promote sustainable production and consumption patterns in closed loop, circular systems, which in turn promotes the circular economy.
I find the statistics quite staggering. The UN says humans generate 2.24 billion tons of municipal solid waste each year, with only 55% being managed in controlled facilities.
Around 931 millions tons of food is wasted and up to 14 millions tons of plastic waste enter waterways each year. Pretty mind blowing!
Zero Waste Design
First, I think products should be designed to be durable, repairable and require fewer and low-impact materials. By opting for less resource-intensive production and transport methods, manufacturers can further limit pollution and waste. Ideally managing a product’s life cycle from start to finish.
Consumers
Second, I believe consumers play a important role in enabling zero waste. By changing habits and reusing and repairing products as much as possible, we can have a huge impact. We can also make sure to properly dispose products at the end of their life cycle. I certainly don’t think it should all land on the shoulders of the consumer. Governments communities and Industries need to play their part.
Governments, Communities and Industry
Third, Governments, communities, industries and other stakeholders need to increasingly recognize the potential of zero-waste initiatives. Finance and policymaking are key to upgrading waste management systems and improving recovery. Not only does it make sense for the environment, It’s just good business to reuse our finite resources.
In the End
Achieving zero waste requires action at all levels.
What do you think about all this?
How will you get involved in the first ever International Zero Waste day?
Remember, don’t let perfect get in the way of good.
Please share on your socials or even better subscribe below for regular updates.
Thanks for reading,
Pat
Pat is a Ski Patroller/Avalanche Technician with a keen interest in design and sustainable living due to a longtime passion for the outdoors. Seeing glaciers melt, seasons change, summer skies full of smoke and beach pollution first hand, motivate him to make a difference.
As Yvon Chouinard Founder of Patagonia says “If you are not part of the solution, you are still part of the problem”.